When Time Travel Doesn't Work Quite Right
by PaBurke
Summary: 7 Connected Drabbles. This boy in front of them wasn't what they had intended.
1. Chapter 1

When Time Travel Doesn't Work Quite Right

By PaBurke

Drabble x7

Fandoms: SGA and Merlin

***sga*merlin***

"We're too soon. He doesn't know anything yet."

"Rodney."

"What? And he isn't even as smart as I was at his age. I was experimenting and he hasn't accomplished anything."

Merlin had been rather entertained at the two men arguing. Then, "What's going on here?" Arthur arrived.

"Sire," Merlin interrupted.

"King Arthur?" the soldier guessed.

Arthur looked wary and alarmed. "I am the Crown Prince."

"My apologies, Sire." The soldier knew how to make nice. He must have spent some time at court. "We came in search of a great scientist."

"And all we found was this," Rodney pointed derisively.

***sga*merlin***

"Gaius is the Court Physician," Merlin told the men.

Rodney snorted, "Probably some half-wit witchdoctor."

Merlin protested even as Arthur said, "All magic is forbidden in Camelot."

"All magic?" the soldier asked mildly. He looked directly at Merlin as if he knew Merlin's secret. "No exceptions?"

Arthur stepped into the soldier's line of sight protectively. "No. Do either of you practice magic?"

Rodney huffed. "Don't be ridiculous. When you are as gifted in the sciences as I am, why waste time with hand-waving flim-flammery?"

The soldier grabbed Rodney's arm. "We apologize for taking your time, Sire. We should leave now."

***sga*merlin***

"From what kingdom do you hail?" Arthur demanded.

"I'm John, second son of…"

"Atlantis," Rodney blurted.

"I am not familiar with it," said Arthur.

"It's far away."

"I wish to hear more. Dine with my father and me."

"You are too kind, Sir-Sire, but I couldn't keep Rodney out of the stocks."

Arthur waved away the protest. "Stocks would teach him to bridle his tongue. Or leave him behind."

Rodney squawked, John glared and Rodney silenced. "Our traveling companions are waiting in town."

"Send your servant for them. Merlin, show John of Atlantis to a room to prepare for dinner."

***sga*merlin***

John of Atlantis arrived to dinner with a beautiful, genteel lady on his arm. "King Uthur, Crown Prince Arthur, may I present Lady Teyla Emmagan of Atlantis."

Uthur was his charming best and Arthur nettled John, but neither could tease the full truth out of the couple. Morgana and Teyla conversed over weapons training. Watching, Merlin realized that as blunt, rude and coarse as Rodney was, he was also the best chance of learning more of Atlantis.

"I'm surprised that your father let you –a second son- leave for such a journey," Uthur said.

"My brother, David, is very capable."

***sga*merlin***

When Merlin saw John's knight, Atlantis' son's journey made more sense. The Atlantis knight was a head taller than most others and he wore a sword down his back that Guinevere wanted to examine. His glare would scare off all but the most foolhardy ruffian. He was protective of all three of his companions. He never seemed to sleep. He was there every time Merlin tried to corner Rodney and chat servant-to-servant.

Uthur and Arthur attempted to hire Ronon of Dex, but his loyalty was unshakable. They then decided that John and Teyla would make good additions to their court.

***sga*merlin***

The polite dance of the Atlantis denizens trying to leave and the Pendragons trying to persuade them continued for two days. Rodney ended up in the stocks only once. Teyla and Morgana sparred to the amusement of the men. Then a messenger from Atlantis arrived, requesting that the guests return home. Lorne of Atlantis was stiff and exceedingly polite, the picture perfect messenger. He was impossible to offend and didn't irritate the King. He had more knights traveling with him than John.

John said his pleasantries and they left. Arthur had tried to convince them to stay to no avail.

***sga*merlin***

John of Atlantis and his court had been gone for two weeks when Gaius finally found mention of their kingdom. He had been looking in the wrong place; for Atlantis was not recorded in the land tracks but in the magical books.

Atlantis: a city where every citizen was equal and all were skilled at magic.

But Merlin remembered what Rodney had said, 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.'

Merlin wondered if Gaius' book was true, if Atlantis was a magical place or a place filled with technology.

Mostly Merlin wondered if he would ever see them again.

***sga*merlin***


	2. Chapter 2

When Time Travel Doesn't Work Quite Right Epilogue

Summary: Arthur and Merlin visit Atlantis.

For yllyana, Merry Christmas

Word Count: 600

*merlin*sga* merlin*sga*

It had been an accident.

Merlin insisted it was.

Arthur wasn't sure he believed it.

Ever since the Atlantians had left Camelot, weird –sorcerer weird- things had been happening, but none of them had been hazardous, just annoying and disquieting. Like fresh cherries in the early spring and the shield walls doubling in thickness. Arthur wasn't an idiot; of course, it had something to do with Merlin. Cherries were Merlin's favorite fruit.

Also, he might have overheard Gaius ordering Merlin to stop experimenting. Experimentation, that was what Rodney, manservant from Atlantis, claimed increased knowledge. If ever a man needed help gaining knowledge, it was Merlin. Arthur pretended that he didn't know that Merlin was a sorcerer, since the manservant would rather die than bring harm to his prince. Arthur was sure that some day the extra thick shield walls would come in handy too.

Still, Arthur bet that Rodney's experimentations had never landed Sir John of Atlantis in the middle of a strange place where men aimed odd weapons at him with no clue as to how he arrived. Arthur had surrendered his sword and a knife regretfully. He intended to demand their return as soon as the commander arrived. He was greatly out-numbered and the care and respect with which the unfamiliar knights handled their weapons warned Arthur that they were deadly. The knights had called for their commander and Arthur and Merlin were stuck waiting for him. Impatiently.

"You will be mucking out stalls for months," Arthur murmured.

"Yeah, yeah," Merlin frantically looked for an escape route. "I'll get us home. I wasn't supposed to go far. Just to find Sir John. I just wanted to talk to him. If you hadn't barged into my bedroom without knocking…"

"It's my castle," Arthur argued. "I can go anywhere."

Merlin snorted. "And of course, you haven't learned your lesson."

"You haven't learned yours either."

"Merlin?" The two men turned and faced… Sir John in very unfamiliar clothes. His clothes matched the other knights. "Prince Arthur?" John asked. "What are you two doing here?"

Merlin relaxed and waved at their friend. "Hello Sir John! I wanted to visit. And prove to Rodney that I Ican/I too experiment."

"Oh, hell." Sir John sighed, "Rodney created a monster. Merlin, take you and your prince home now."

"But…"

"Now Merlin," Arthur and Sir John chorused.

"There're a bunch of things you could mess up if you stay," Sir John added.

"Fine," Merlin pouted.

"May I have my weapons returned," Arthur asked. He tried to not to make it an order, but from Merlin's eye roll he had been less than successful.

"Villick," Sir John ordered. "Give them back."

"Yes, Sir… John," the man answered. He handed over Arthur's blades without delay.

"Merlin?" Sir John prompted.

Arthur turned to his manservant and was a bit taken back by Merlin's gold eyes. "We will be leaving shortly," Merlin promised, his voice resonating subtly with power. "You will tell Rodney that I've been experimenting?"

"I will." Sir John shrugged and grinned. "You never know, Rodney might visit you again some day."

Merlin bounced, still his awkward manservant even with the magic winding around him like a pet cat. "I look forward to that."

"Just so long as you visit as well," Arthur conditioned. "To keep your manservant in line."

"That could probably be arranged."

And then Atlantis was gone and Merlin and Arthur were back in Camelot. Arthur grabbed Merlin's arm and dragged him to the stables. "Muck," he ordered. "And no more experiments!" Arthur decided to keep Merlin too busy and tired to play with magic.

*merlin*sga*merlin*sga*


End file.
